The present invention relates to a root deflector of a kind having a collar which is intended to be installed in a horizontal plane around the root ball of a tree, shrub, bush or other plant to restrict sideways growth of the roots and to deflect the root growth in a downward direction.
Root deflectors of the kind aforementioned are well known, usually being formed as plastics mouldings and being utilised to direct root growth away from regions where, for example, such growth could cause structural damage as lifting or cracking of paving stones and the like or be generally undesirable or inconvenient in a cultivated plot. Examples of known root deflectors are disclosed in Patent Specifications U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,642 and WO 94/00002.
A problem which has been encountered with previously proposed root deflectors is that the root growth tends to be directed as a spiralling formation in a horizontal plane within the bounds of the deflector. As a consequence ground penetration by the roots tends to be retarded and may be inadequate to sustain growth of the tree or bush and to anchor the tree or bush in the ground (as compared with what may be considered reasonable for the expected root growth) It is an object of the present invention to provide a root deflector which alleviates the aforementioned disadvantages and which is of a relatively simple construction capable of economic manufacture, particularly when such manufacture is by plastics moulding.